What a brilliant start to the major season with Augusta National providing a worthy Masters champion in classy World No1 Scottie Scheffler.
It was a joy having the two best players in the world – or at least the two hottest golfers at the moment – entertaining the galleries in the final group on Sunday.
We also struck lucky with Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry showcasing their class and fist-pumping character on a captivating final day.
It adds so much spice when you have an Irish interest and Rory certainly set pulses racing when he chased an impossible dream and career grand slam on the final day.
McIlroy produced a mesmerising round of 64 but he also needed Scheffler to suffer a Jordan Speith collapse of 2016 proportions to turn things around. It wasn’t to be.
The American is simply too strong, both physically and mentally, at the moment for that to happen.
In Scheffler, we are looking at a potential superstar and a player who has the quality and poise to become a commanding force in the sport.
The 25-year-old’s 2022 form so far is remarkable, with wins at the WGC Matchplay, Phoenix Open and Arnold Palmer Invitational preceding a maiden major at Augusta.
You have to go back to 1960 to find the last time a player – Arnold Palmer, no less – recorded three wins prior to winning the Masters. Decent company.
I know a lot of golf fans are fixated on who the ‘next big thing’ will be and several names have flirted with the mantle in recent times.
World No2 Collin Morikawa boasts two majors and numerous other victories on his CV in what has been a short career to date.
Jon Rahm has also been world No1 in the recent past (he has since slipped to third) and has a major to his name after winning last year’s US Open.
Viktor Hovland is fourth in the rankings and while he has yet to win a major, the Norwegian is an impressive player and has already recorded half a dozen wins.
All three are fantastic talents, but Scheffler is showing the kind of focus and form that will be of concern to the chasing pack.
Crucially, I also loved his post round honesty at Augusta when he cited his fears going into the final day and how he almost felt unworthy to be a Masters champion.
It showed how normal and relatable he is as a person.
It might make him a harder sell for the PR companies, but golf is a results business and whatever way you dress it up, Scheffler is World No1 and the new Masters champion.
Far more to Shane’s display than the rant-thrill mob
Shane Lowry’s so-called ‘rant’ at longtime caddie Brian ‘Bo’ Martin at Augusta made a few headlines, but it was nothing out of the ordinary.
After attempting to lay it up at the 13th on Saturday, Shane was overheard saying: “What a f****** s*** yardage that was. Well done Bo. Only 30 yards out. Well done.”
His outburst hit the media merry-go-round, but believe me, it happens all the time.
Golf, like other sports, is a passionate game played in a high pressure environment.
My only concern for Shane is that the fallout from bad decisions tends to clutter his thoughts.
Other players process these moments a lot quicker and he needs to do the same.
On the plus side, his T3 at Augusta was his best ever finish at the Masters and it was a continuation of the fantastic form he has shown since the turn of the year.
He also showed great character to rebound from a triple bogey at the fourth on the final day to shoot six birdies en route to a 69.
Rant headlines aside, there was a lot to shout about.
Delighted to cherish what Tiger can gift us
Seeing Tiger Woods back playing Augusta warmed my soul and for him to make the cut after everything he has experienced was nothing short of remarkable.
Woods has endured so much since suffering serious leg injuries in a car crash in February 2021 and at the age of 46, father time is against him.
The physical effort and mental strength he showed to tee it up at Augusta, having not played for 16 months, was incredible.
It was evident from his posture and gait that Tiger remains physically impaired and it remains to be seen what his golfing future holds. I don’t know how much more we’ll see of him.
He did say he plans to play The Open at St Andrews in July, but his mobility and performance in Scotland three months down the line will reveal a lot.
Tiger reprised his superhuman status at Augusta and it was great to see him playing again, but the reality is that he finished 21 shots behind eventual champion Scottie Scheffler.
He won’t be putting himself through the ringer too many more times for that kind of return.
Betting Slip
RBC HERITAGE
Shane Lowry – 20/1 EW: Short priced but hard to see him outside the mix at one of his favourite venues.
Joaquin Niemann – 28/1 EW: Should get a bounce from his Tiger Woods experience at the Masters.
Alex Noren – 50/1 EW: Swede is having a solid season and is a proven winner.
Troy Merritt – 80/1 EW: Boasts good course form and is nicely priced for each way value.
Harry Higgs – 125/1 EW: Solid last week and is seriously overpriced if he has a fast start.
Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts
